What advice would you give someone considering a remote job?
Take the plunge! It’s a little scary at first, but the time and stress you save with commuting is so worth it. If you want to be in charge of your own time and plan your work around when you work best, you won’t regret heading to the remote workplace.
What are the biggest benefits to working remotely?
More time with kids, freedom over how you allocate your time (I prefer mornings/nights and taking off in the afternoon).
What are the greatest challenges to working remotely?
Feels like you’re never disconnected, loneliness, harder to develop strong collegial relationships.
How do you avoid becoming distracted when working remotely?
I set a list of what I HAVE to get done for the day. I stick to this and try my hardest to get it done. If I get distracted, then I’m working more hours but will only log 8…so I’m essentially working much longer hours for no benefit. That helps me stay focused.
Do you work from a home office? How is it organized?
I have a home office (spare bedroom). It’s very simple, just a laptop, desk, chair, and basic office supplies.
How do you stay in touch with virtual teammates?
Email, Slack, passing files between Sharepoint, text messaging.
What’s the hardest part about working with a traditional team while you’re remote?
We give team feedback for every task. I think because we’re never really face to face, some colleagues are very tough (maybe unfair) in their feedback of others. If people saw each other face to face, I think there would be more communication and less hard feelings, so the feedback would be more accurate. There are some issues with certain people working together and, over a screen or behind your computer, it’s easier to say things that may not really be true or fair. I don’t have a solution and am not sure how to overcome this.
How has working remotely impacted your career plans?
Since I LOVE it SOOO much, I’m actually working with a life coach and starting my own business in the next 6 months or so. I want to be in charge of my schedule and time forever. Flexibility in my schedule has been a huge benefit to my family and life overall. I enjoy my job, but I feel pulled to help others fulfill their dreams and am excited about this. If I didn’t have the remote experience, I feel like I may not have developed this idea and would have been to scared to run with it…
How do you stay connected with your local community?
I attend meet-up groups with my kids and get out in the community often.
How has your remote job impacted your life outside of work?
I have much more time to spend with my horse and family. I can also take advantage of beautiful weather and go hiking with my kids before they go to daycare.
How has working remotely impacted your family life?
I don’t have to worry about snow or sick days.
How do you stay physically active while working remotely?
Every afternoon, I try to go for a walk for about 30 minutes, either alone or with my infant son. It’s a nice way for me to recharge, soak up some vitamin D, and get some exercise and fresh air.
How does working remotely impact your diet?
I use the crock pot very often and try to prepare what I can for dinner early in the day. It’s easy to chop up healthy veggies, prepare fruit and meat when I have a 15-minute break in the afternoon so I’m not rushing to get take out to feed a starving family. I never feel rushed or unprepared around dinner time and can really enjoy hanging out with my kids. Also, dinner is usually ready for us when my husband gets home so it’s nice to have more time together.
How do you cope with feeling lonely while working remotely?
I do feel lonely sometimes. I don’t have a great coping mechanism other than to regularly call my mother who is luckily retired now.